Zucchini Noodles with Easy Meat Sauce

Zucchini noodles are surprisingly delicious. The strands are long and convincingly spaghetti-like, and they’re nice and firm under your teeth. They’re also a whole food, which means they’ve been minimally processed and have no additives – plus, they have all the nutrients of zucchini, including fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

While it’s true that zucchini noodles are not chewy like conventional pasta, and that the green zucchini-ness of them might be off-putting to people who don’t like – or think they don’t like – zucchini, these noodles are quite adaptable and take well to any pasta sauce, including pesto and tomato sauce. Because they otherwise have very little protein, I especially like to pair them with a meat sauce. If you like pasta but want low-carb recipes, these delicious options will hit the spaghetti spot without spiking your blood glucose.

When making this hearty meat sauce, I like to put the sauce on to simmer and then spiralize the zucchini since I have a spiralizer at home. It all comes together pretty quickly and the finished dish is so hearty and good. “It’s not spaghetti,” my husband said to me once, “but it definitely has a spaghetti vibe.”

Recipe Details: Zucchini Noodles with Easy Meat Sauce

From Catherine Newman

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Makes: 2 servings

Total carbohydrates: 12 grams per serving

Recipe Notes

Also known as zoodles, zucchini noodles are simply long strands that have been spiralized from whole squash. You can buy them pre-spiralized at the grocery store; the best ones are the fresh ones in the produce section; they tend to get less soggy than some of the pre-spiralized versions available in the frozen section. Alternatively, if you’re inclined to make zoodles regularly yourself, you can also purchase a spiralizer to use at home.

An important note: When sautéing the zoodles, be sure to turn off the heat before you think they’re completely cooked, otherwise they will continue cooking and moisture will continue to be drawn out, and then you may suddenly find them sitting in a pool of water. Likewise, don’t salt the zucchini until you’re done cooking it, since the salt also will draw out water.

You won’t use all the meat sauce – this recipe makes about eight servings’ worth – but it freezes beautifully (alternatively, you can halve the recipe, as well as double it). And if you really can’t live without the classic Italian herbs, like oregano and basil, feel free to add them, but I love the simplicity of this sauce just the way it is.

Ingredients

For the meat sauce:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 onion, finely chopped 
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pound ground beef or turkey 
• Kosher salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomato purée

For the zucchini noodles: 

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini noodles 
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Grated parmesan, for garnish (optional)
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the meat sauce: Heat the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic with 1 teaspoon salt and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to high and add the ground meat, using a spatula to break up the meat as much as possible while it sears, until the meat is browned and appears cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and a robust grinding of black pepper; bring to a simmer, and cook on low, partially covered, stirring occasionally and seasoning with additional salt to taste, until the sauce is thick and delicious, around 30 minutes.
4. Make the zucchini noodles: Heat the oil in a wide nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add the spiralized zucchini and sauté, tossing gently with tongs as it cooks, until it is just barely tender, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat before you think the zucchini noodles are completely cooked.
6. Just before serving, season zucchini noodles with salt to taste, topping with meat sauce and grated parmesan and basil leaves, if desired.

Photo credits: iStock (top); Catherine Newman (bottom).